This invention relates to a sod harvester for use on a sod farm for cutting sod into strips and for slicing the strip from the ground.
A conventional sod harvester includes a cutterhead adapted to be mounted on the front of a vehicle such as a tractor. The cutterhead comprises a blade unit having two transversely spaced side blades and having a bottom blade which extends transversely between the side blades. As the tractor travels forwardly, the blade unit is oscillated back and forth. During such oscillation, the side blades cut the sod into an elongated strip while the bottom blade moves beneath the sod and slices the strip away from the ground. At predetermined increments, a transversely extending cut-off blade is shifted downwardly and acts to sever the end of one strip from the end of the next strip and thereby divide the sod into strips of predetermined length.
Recently, it has become customary to cut the sod into relatively long strips (e.g., 45 feet) to facilitate handling and subsequent laying of the sod. After being cut, the strips are wound into large rolls for transport to the site where the sod is to be laid. A strip which is 45 feet long forms a roll which is about 30 inches in diameter.
Winding of the sod into a roll is achieved by means of a rotatable ground-engaging roller attached to the rear of the tractor. The rear end portion of the sod strip is manually wrapped around the roller in order to start the roll. Then, as the tractor travels forwardly, the strip winds upon itself to form the roll. When a complete roll has been formed, the roll and the winding roller are removed from the harvester and another roller is installed to handle the next strip of sod.